News On Japan

New Visa Rules Expected to Enhance Japan-China Relations

TOKYO, Dec 26 (News On Japan) - Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a decision to ease visa requirements for Chinese nationals visiting Japan.

For group tourist visas, the allowable stay will be extended from the current limit of 15 days to 30 days. Additionally, changes will be made to the issuance requirements for individual tourist visas. For individuals aged 65 and older, submission of an employment certificate will no longer be required.

The ministry also plans to introduce a new individual visa valid for 10 years, exclusively available to individuals with significantly high incomes.

While the exact timing of these changes has not yet been determined, ministry officials suggested that the measures are unlikely to be implemented in time for the Chinese New Year holidays at the end of January 2025.

On December 25th, Iwaya visited China for the first time since assuming his role as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held successive meetings with Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

During the discussions, both sides agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges to deepen mutual understanding. The easing of visa requirements is expected to contribute to improving relations between the two countries.

Source: ANN

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The total number of visitors to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai surpassed one million on April 23rd, just 11 days after the event began. Despite being a weekday, the venue remained crowded, with long lines forming at popular pavilions such as the one from the United States.

At the Shanghai Motor Show, which opened to the press on April 23rd ahead of its public run from April 27th to May 2nd, Toyota Motor Corporation revealed a series of new models, including a new electric vehicle, as it works to regain ground in the increasingly competitive Chinese market.

This year marks the 100th year of the Showa era. Tenjin, Fukuoka City's central commercial and entertainment district, has transformed remarkably since World War II, evolving into a major shopping hub that continues to attract both locals and foreign visitors.

A naked man was arrested after trespassing into a cram school in Saitama Prefecture, with police suspecting his involvement in at least five incidents within 50 minutes, including a fatal hit-and-run and two car robberies.

A foreign influencer visiting Japan has come under fire after causing disturbances on Tokyo’s rail network and in public spaces, including loud music performances and backflips on station platforms. The individual, an 18-year-old German man with nearly one million social media followers, began posting videos almost immediately after arriving in Japan on April 17th.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

Foreign tourists are lining up to visit some of Tokyo’s most photogenic spring attractions, with Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo Ward drawing crowds on April 22nd as vibrant late-blooming azaleas reached their peak.

Shibata Town, known for its flourishing cherry blossoms, has embraced a tree ownership system to pass the beauty of its roughly 400 commemorative trees—planted to mark births, marriages, and other milestones—on to future generations.

Service on the Suruga Bay Ferry, which connects Shimizu Port in Shizuoka City and Toi Port in Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture, resumed on April 18th after a suspension of about three months.

Welcome back to the Ginza Line Walking Tour. This is part 2 of 6. Today, let’s pick up from where we left off—Aoyama-itchome—and walk past the vast Akasaka Imperial Residence toward Akasaka-mitsuke. (Video Street View Japan)

The Osaka-Kansai Expo marked its first full week on April 20th, with cumulative attendance surpassing 500,000 and the venue continuing to draw large crowds.

With over 123 million residents, this island nation ranks as the 11th most populous country in the world. Its 47 prefectures offer everything from snowy mountains to tropical beaches, making timing crucial for travelers.

As Golden Week approaches next weekend, one major headache for travelers is the soaring cost of hotel stays. In central Tokyo, a single night can now cost 23,000 yen—not for a luxury or business hotel, but for a capsule hotel.

Kobe Airport has launched its first regular international charter flights since opening in 2006, connecting the city with five major Asian destinations—Incheon in South Korea, Taipei and Taichung in Taiwan, and Shanghai and Nanjing in China—with a total of 40 round-trip flights per week.